BACKGROUND AND DESCRIPTION
As the field of hepatology continues to grow, an increasing number of healthcare professionals with little or no experience are being utilized to provide competent patient care. Further, providers in communities or facilities with limited hepatology or Specialty Clinics may have fewer opportunities to engage in real patient cases or multi-disciplinary case discussions regarding patients with HCV. These providers need to be able to evaluate and identify patients for potential therapeutic treatment, and potentially initiate treatment when appropriate.

ACT on HCV includes five modules which are interactive, case-based discussions participants can respond to and use to obtain guidance on real-life clinical scenarios. This program provides practical strategies for managing patients with HCV and is designed to increase the confidence and competence of healthcare professionals who are new to providing care for patients with HCV.

Key topic areas:
A general overview of HCV
Genotyping and predictors of response
Patient selection
Initiating HCV treatment and the first eight weeks
Managing side effects of therapy

Experiential:
Participants are required to log relevant HCV-based experiences and submit the log after their completion of a minimum of 40 hours. At least 4 hours of the logged experience must be direct experience and/or case-based. Experience may be accumulated in a variety of ways:

Participants must identify a mentor or “Expert Resource” who they will contact at the beginning of the program and in advance of any experiential log opportunities. Each Expert Resource must be an active member of AASLD and meet specific requirements. The Expert Resource’s role is to confirm an AASLD Curriculum trainee’s experiential component, perform at least one interim review of trainee’s progress, and provide a final sign-off on the experiential log.

Requirements for Successful Completion for CME/CE credits:
In order to receive credit, participants must view and engage in the entire online module, complete the post-test and the module evaluation form. This program is offered free of charge for educational purposes to healthcare professionals and others interested in the treatment of patients with hepatitis C.

Media: Internet
Release date: November 10, 2012
Review date: November 10, 2013
The slide set was reviewed by the author and no updates were needed.
Expiration date: November 10, 2014
Time to complete each module: 45 minutes

Contact Information
For questions on CE credit for this activity, go to www.help.cmecertirficateonline.com
For questions on CME/CE content or the activity web site, contact education@aasld.org.

Overall Learning Objective:
The goal of this curriculum is to identify and support the core education, understanding, and ability of this expanded group of healthcare professionals to describe ways of care for patients with liver disease. In addition, this curriculum helps address the AASLD initiative of addressing the shortage of healthcare professionals in the field of hepatology, which has been further exacerbated by the growing number of patients affected by hepatitis.

Target Audience
This curriculum was developed for Primary Care Providers and any other healthcare provider interested in liver disease.

CME
Accreditation Statement
The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation
AASLD designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurse
The Institute for Advancement of Human Behavior is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. This course is co-provided by IAHB and AASLD. Maximum of 3.75 contact hours.

Disclosure:
DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
AASLD requires all individuals who are in a position to control the content of an educational activity to disclose all relevant financial relationships with any commercial entity producing health-care related products and/or services. Disclosures are collected prior to the start of the educational activity any potential conflicts of interest that exist are resolved prior to implementation of the activity. All disclosures are made available and communicated to the leaner prior the activity beginning.
The organizer and faculty have reported the following disclosures:

Currie, Sue, EdD, MA
Organizer
Employment: Health Interactions

Baytarian, Michelle, PA-C, MMSc
Speaking and Teaching: Nothing to disclose
Content of presentation does not include discussion of off-label/investigative use of medicine(s), medical devices or procedure(s)

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Gilles, HoChong, RN, MS, FNP-C
Nothing to disclose
Content of presentation does not include discussion of off-label/investigative use of medicine(s), medical devices or procedure(s)

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Surdy, Michael J., PharmD, AAHIVP
Nothing to disclose
Content of presentation does include discussion of off-label/investigative use of medicine(s), medical devices or procedure(s)
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Wetmore, Michele, MSN, ANP-BC, NP-C
Nothing to disclose
Content of presentation does include discussion of off-label/investigative use of medicine(s), medical devices or procedure(s)
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Yee, Helen S., PharmD
Nothing to disclose
Content of presentation does include discussion of off-label/investigative use of medicine(s), medical devices or procedure(s)
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The planners reported the following disclosures:

Angulo, Paul, MD
Nothing to disclose

Chrobak, Berni, MSN, MBA, RN
Nothing to disclose

Hauch, Lois, FNP
Nothing to disclose

Haynes-Williams, Vanessa, MSN
Nothing to disclose

Horne, Patrick, MSN, ARNP
Nothing to disclose

Latimer, Dustin, PA-C
Nothing to disclose

Lippello, Anita, CRNP, MSN
Nothing to disclose

Luber, Andrew, PharmD
Nothing to disclose

McCurdy, Heather, RN
Nothing to disclose

Panther, Mary, BSN, RN
Nothing to disclose

Peter, Joy, RN, BSN
Nothing to disclose

Senecal, Douglas, PA-C
Nothing to disclose

Slazinski, Karen, PharmD
Nothing to disclose

Stadheim, Linda, RN
Nothing to disclose

Terrault, Norah, MD
Nothing to disclose

Thornton, Karla, MD
Nothing to disclose

Wentworth, Corinne, PA-C
Nothing to disclose

DISCLOSURE OF OFF-LABEL USE
This enduring material may contain discussion of products or devices that are not currently labeled for use by the FDA. Faculty members have been advised to disclose to the audience any reference of an unlabeled or investigational use.
The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of AASLD. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

DISCLAIMER
Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. The information presented in this activity is not meant to serve as a guideline for patient management. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed or suggested in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of their patients' conditions and possible contraindications on dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer's product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities.

Acknowledgement of Commercial Support:
No commercial support was received for this enduring material activity.